The 2018 NHL draft will undoubtedly go down as the Rasmus Dahlin Draft.

Much like in 2015 with Connor McDavid, the franchise-changing name lapping the field has and will continue to gobble up the bulk of pre- and post-draft oxygen.

Living in Dahlin’s shadow is Adam Boqvist, an Erik Karlsson imitation contending for a top-10 selection at the NHL draft on June 22. If industry projections are to be trusted, the right-handed defenceman will almost certainly be the second Swede to shake Gary Bettman’s hand in Dallas.

There always seems to be 2-3 high-end prospects cloaked in mainstream mystery because their North American exposure has been limited. Recent examples include Mikko Rantanen (’15), Henrik Borgstrom (‘16) and Martin Necas (‘17). And this year it’s Boqvist and Finnish centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

Raw and slight, Boqvist dazzles with his skating, passing and ability to transport the puck from zone to zone. He effortlessly drives the play.

“Give him the puck and watch his highlights,” said Adam Ginning, Boqvist’s defence partner for Sweden at the most recent under-18 world championship.

As one of the youngest and most talented players in the ’18 class, Boqvist — born one month shy of the cut-off for the ‘19 draft — deserves a proper introduction.

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Swedish national coach Torgny Bendelin is big on team cohesiveness. Amid the 2017 U18 tournament in Slovakia, the bench boss herded his troops inside a hotel meeting room for a team-building exercise. Player after player introduced themselves, with Bendelin encouraging the teens to come clean about something serious and unrelated to hockey.

Boqvist, whom Bendelin calls the best defenceman he has coached over a career spanning nearly four decades, didn’t disappoint. Given the floor, the underage kid from the small industrial city of Falun disclosed he suffers from dyslexia.

“When I’m reading something, I don’t remember it. When I write something, the words don’t come out right,” Boqvist told Postmedia in a recent interview. “I’m not so good at writing and reading … I cannot say I like school but you must be there.”

“It was very strong to just open up. He was only 16 then,” Bendelin recalled.

Boqvist as a member of Team Sweden (HANDOUT)

Boqvist remains undeterred by dyslexia, although the son of a painter dad and teacher mom admits to daily struggles. While his play on the ice is unaffected, Boqvist finds little enjoyment in the classroom. Fortunately, he has never endured severe bullying over an inability to read and write as well as his peers, and is on track to graduate high school by summer 2019.

As May turned into June, Boqvist met with 24 teams at the annual NHL scouting combine. Behind closed doors in Buffalo, standing before potential future employers, he was an open book. While the odd franchise may have heard about his learning disability, Boqvist says he was the only one who broached the topic.

Former NHL defenceman Brent Sopel, basketball legend Magic Johnson and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan are just a few of the millions worldwide living with dyslexia. “The King of Sweden has it,” Boqvist told his older brother Jesper, a second-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, following his diagnosis years ago.

“So, I can have it, too.”

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Boqvist, who was on skates at the age of three, is a prototypical modern-day NHL blue-liner in the making.

HockeyProspect.com’s Mark Edwards describes the Brynäs IF product as a “fantastic offensive defenceman” with strong “escapability.” He thinks the game at an extremely high level and has the skating chops and puck skills to convert intelligence and vision into production.

“One of my favourite things about Boqvist is how smart he is and how quick he is to get the puck and move it,” said Edwards, founder of the popular independent scouting service that has Boqvist listed fifth among ‘D’ and 11th overall on their final ranking of 2018 draft-eligible players.

“In other words, he’ll find outlets in a hurry. He’s got the puck on his tape and he’ll make a read of where he’s going with the puck and he can process really quickly and make really smart plays.”

This type of player, Edwards explains, surveys the ice similar to the way a cerebral quarterback surveys the football field. “People talk about Tom Brady and how quickly he processes what to do with the ball. That, to me, is Boqvist.”

Officially listed at 5-foot-11.5 and 165 pounds during the combine, he is agile and an all-day threat in transition, but too weak right now to win many puck battles. He can walk the blue line on the power play and has an elite release. He is a risk taker but by no means considered a train wreck defensively.

“We coach him when he’s on defence. On offence, he needs no coaching,” Bendelin said. “He has to grow, get stronger and he also has to be a little bit smarter in the defensive zone.”

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The 2017-18 season was a stepping-stone year for Boqvist. He dominated the Swedish SuperElit junior league, leading all defencemen in goals, with 14 in 25 games, to go along with 10 assists. He skated in two pro leagues, including a 15-game SHL stint. And, with Dahlin on the sidelines, he claimed best defenceman honours at the U18s.

His achievements — capped in April by a 29-shot, six-point performance in six U18 games — far outweigh the negatives. He hit some lows, suffering a pair of concussions and receiving limited ice time in both the SHL and Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second league, but forged ahead.

Boqvist as a member of Team Sweden (HANDOUT)

Sjödin, while overall pleased with Boqvist’s adjustment to SHL competition, notes his young defenceman outsmarted himself on occasion, especially in the early going.

“Sometimes he went in to play and he stayed on the ice for, like, 20 seconds. And I said, ‘When you get the shift, at least stay for a normal shift, for 35-40 seconds.’ And he said, ‘Ah, I don’t want to do mistakes,’” Sjödin said of Boqvist’s introduction to the top domestic league. “He doesn’t feel secure out there, so when he did a good pass and it felt good, he changed so he wouldn’t make a mistake.”

Countered an Eastern Conference talent evaluator: “You want to see guys graduate from the SuperElit and at least get a cup of coffee (in the SHL), even if it’s with for only a few minutes a night. It’s a strong indicator he’s on the right track.”

Commitment to the craft was “a bit of an issue” this past season, says Brynäs general manager Stefan Bengtzén, sounding like a proud but dissatisfied father. Boqvist has “special skills,” however, “he doesn’t understand how good he could be.” Bengtzén says Brynäs players must “eat, sleep and shit hockey” and Boqvist is not quite there.

Dahlin, by comparison, is a well-rounded pro with no glaring weakness. The Frolunda standout is not only physically mature at 6-foot-2.75 and 185 pounds, but also older (four months) and more experienced (87 SHL games versus 18) than Boqvist. Dahlin will step right into an NHL lineup while scouts suggest his pal will need 2-3 years of seasoning.

Fascinatingly, Boqvist’s draft-year numbers nearly mirror Karlsson’s from a decade ago. In 2007-08, the Ottawa Senators captain posted 37 points in 38 games (0.97 points per game) for Frolunda’s SuperElit squad and one goal in seven games (0.14) for its SHL team. Boqvist’s production rates (0.96 and 0.07) are close.

“He has the upside of Erik Karlsson,” said Thomas Roost, European scout for NHL Central Scouting. Boqvist’s skill set, he adds, corresponds with that of a consistent, point-producing defenceman.

“The question is: Can he handle big, strong power forwards at the NHL level? The other question is: Can he reduce his too-risky plays?”

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With help from his family and agent Martin Nilsson, Boqvist opted in May to sign a one-year contract extension with Brynäs, where his ice time is due for a significant increase. The team is based in Gävle, an hour’s drive from Boqvist’s hometown, and it doesn’t hurt that his brother Jesper will also be back in Brynäs black and yellow, playing out the second half of his own two-year deal.

Jesper, a speedy forward whose career has been a blueprint for his sibling, is close with his brother. Their relationship is beneficial to Sjödin and Bengtzén, because it allows Jesper, 19, to act as both mentor and liaison between the team and top prospect.

We coach him when he’s on defence. On offence, he needs no coaching

Swedish coach Torgny Bendelin on Adam Boqvist

While Boqvist’s heart is set on the SHL next season, there is a possibility he jumps to North America. It is not uncommon for a freshly drafted prospect to be persuaded by his new NHL bosses to stay a little closer to the big club.

The powerhouse London Knights own Boqvist’s Canadian junior rights and, according to a source close to the situation, met with the Swede and his camp multiple times during the 2017-18 season. The Knights’ pitch — described as “thorough” — included a detailed rundown of Boqvist’s potential role.

No matter where Boqvist ends up, Karlsson’s presence will surely follow. The NHL superstar is part of he teenager’s regular routine. Countless times this past season Boqvist would turn on a specific YouTube video before falling asleep: ‘Erik Karlsson The #65 Tribute’. He is certifiably obsessed.

Off the ice, Boqvist has a lighthearted personality. Nilsson paints him as a “goofball” who is almost always smiling. He has been known to throw water on Jesper’s face and capture the moment on his phone for Snapchatting purposes. (“It’s always something when I sleep,” Jesper chuckled.) The next day the duo might train together or head to Falun to stickhandle golf balls in the garage or shoot pucks in the backyard.

And now, the Boqvist boys ready to cross the Atlantic Ocean together for a second time in as many years. In 10 days, with dad Patric and mom Helena in tow, they will be guests of honour at the NHL draft.

Karlsson went 15th to the Senators in 2008. Jesper went 36th to the Devils in 2017. Boqvist could top them both in 2018.

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